The Texas Animal Health Commission’s (TAHC) Lead Veterinarian for Authorized Personnel Programs, Dr. Susan Culp, received the Community Service Award for DPS region 6 from the Emergency Management Association of Texas (EMAT) on March 3 at the annual EMAT conference in San Marcos, Texas.
The award recognizes a person who has provided leadership, guidance, facilities, equipment, or support to an emergency management program, a community, or the profession in the furtherance of mitigation, preparedness, response, or recovery activities.
Through her work as Chair of the Disaster Preparedness Committee of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, Culp has been instrumental in recruiting and training veterinary practitioners and students to become more involved with their local emergency management officials.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Emergency Management Association of Texas for my preparedness activities this past year,” said Culp. “As a veterinarian in Texas, it is important to me that my profession be as prepared as possible to be able to respond to any emergency.”
“Dr. Culp’s hard work, perseverance and collaboration with local communities involving emergency management embodies what this agency is all about,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC executive director. “We are proud of her and excited that she is part of the TAHC team.”
Culp has also traveled throughout the state coordinating workshops for emergency management officials and veterinary professionals. It is these efforts that have opened the door for emergency managers and veterinarians to begin the dialogue of collaborative disaster planning for animals.
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC,) one of the oldest state regulatory agencies was founded in 1893 with a mission to combat the fever ticks that plagued the Texas cattle industry.
Today, the agency works to protect the health of all Texas livestock including: cattle, equine, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, exotic livestock and fowl.
